Fowl Business

I will begin with a disclaimer and apology today. To those of you who have listened to my endless chatter and talk of dreams of chicken ownership, you were great friends. After reading this blog you will be hitting the great unfriend button of life because after countless hours of waxing poetic about the joy of chicken ownership, I have realized my folly.

It seems romantic and glamorous on film. Zha Zha made it look whimsical and fun. I even have a visual of Miley Cyrus on a tire swing, young and carefree (pre-turk of course) feeding chicks and bringing joy to the hearts and lives of pre-teen girls everywhere by producing eggs for consumption. I imagined myself flinging grain and baring my soul to the beasts as they gently click and coo around me, obviously understanding the turmoil of a young mother and the hardships I face. But what Ms. Gabor and poor little misguided Miley omit in the fanciful forays in fowl life is the poop.

We all do it. If you want to be a living organism you must commit 20 seconds to 45 minutes to the task daily. Some animals stop in the woods, some read a book others answer questions like where are the sneakers I wore last Thursday and how do they make margarin. (Cause mom is clearly a captive audience at that point) I understand the need, but a nice quiet throne room with candles and matches should be the goal not my front porch, back porch, and once in my shoe which was under my kitchen table. These birds are the greatest escape artists ever. I’m pretty sure they are plotting with graphs and charts as I am writing this. We wire and re-wire and nail and staple but the little slop-suckers keep escaping! How? After escaping they must immediately evacuate their bowels…everywhere! Why? I’m losing my mind! Even the 15 month old screams no and chases them now. It is a great exercise plan (running while bent over flailing your arms, it’s like planking…only better and with yelling). It is chicken pandamoneum here. And what do we have to show for it? 2 eggs every other day. Wah wah wah…

So, to all my friends out there who heard my cries for chicken and prayed with me to have the joy of my heart…I’m sorry. And to those friends who are drinking the cool-aid and seeing chicken ownership as an investment in your future happiness, don’t believe the hype. Just like Zha Zha and Miley, it can go very bad.

Playing catch up

First, I am so sorry that there has been such a gap in posts. We have had crazy internet and power issues and we have finally worked out a few kinks. I have been trying to write during the silent times anyway so I can update folks, so if you are interested in what we’ve been doing…

 

November 2013

We haven’t been doing very much…Just moving!! We finally have a home that has a private compound and room for everyone. We are so excited and so blessed that the Sisco family allowed us the opportunity to take over their lease. It is amazing.

We have loved everyone home we have stayed in. The small 3 rooms of the village were a little tough and going outside to use the potty was not on my top 10 favorite things I have done, but each place has stretched us and been a place where everlasting relationships have been made. The thing is, we had no idea how much alone time we did not have! We have lived in compounds with constant traffic and daily random visits and we have loved it, but our house is quiet now. No one is sitting on my front porch and I just sent my kids outside and I don’t know what they are doing! I got up this morning and walked through my house in my pajamas to sit on my couch. I am a new woman.

We are getting settled in and my girls are loving the fact that they don’t all have to share a dwelling. Five kids in one room was a bit much…a bit. Everyone has decorated appropriately and they love home. It feels like home.

Thanksgiving was a quiet affair with just us guys and that was ok. We ate turkey and all the good stuff that goes with it and talked to our families and relaxed. This year’s turkey was baked in an oven and not in a coal pot and the feast was topped off with an apple pie. See how typically boring we are. Weeeeee!!!

We are finding our groove at TRS and learning the ropes. We are so excited about the work ahead. Everyone is good. NOTHING is going on.

 

It was my buttocks...

In full disclosure, this is a story that is not flattering or pointed in my favor at all. Yet, I feel that it is a tale (tail) that should be told…at least before my husband tells it.

I have had the unfortunate problem of breaking into hives on occasion. When I was young we didn’t always know the cause but in later years we realized that it often occurred when I had an infection that wasn’t treated completely. Most of the symptoms would be gone but then a few days later I would wake to hives. They are not fun, in case, you were thinking they were. The hives stick around until the infection is treated. Not really a big deal just very annoying. I had a little bout of stomach issues last week and so took the appropriate meds and felt like I was on the mend. Then I woke to the hives and took stock and remembered I’ve had some sinus issues that I have been ignoring and I probably had a little sinus infection. No big deal. But the hives…

Michael loaded me in the car and off to the doctor we went. We have a good doctor here who has been wonderful. He has truly saved our kid’s lives and has kept us healthy. He was also a Tennessean for many years…so we are connected. Totally. 

We get to the office, I put my name in. My husband spends the next 15 minutes haggling for what price we are going to pay on our bill. Yes, he bargained my doctor bill. I realized then, it was not going to be the best visit. After three hours of waiting I go to see the nurses. After a lengthy explanation on the past two weeks and a good showing of the hives that covered most of my body, I see the nurse write down diarrhea and fever on my chart. These are two symptoms that I really hadn’t put much emphasis on because they really weren’t relevant to our current situation, but ok.

After another 30 minute wait a technichain comes out putting on her gloves and tells me to come for my malaria test. I am pretty confused at this point because…well, I have no malaria symptoms. But she says the doctor refuses to see me without. Now, maybe it was the waiting, or maybe me skipping lunch, I have a hunch it revolved mostly around the incesently itchy marks and that little heat problem we have over here. But I went crazy white lady. I refused the test I marched out and told my husband he better choose the right team, here. He followed me out and said those words I most hate to hear, “Now, Rachel…”AHHHHH! I then fish in his pocket pull out the key and promptly lock myself in the car and tell him to get our fee back. This was not one of my better moments as a wife, a missionary, an adult. But it’s were I was and unfortunately, it was not one of my worst moments of this day.

My long suffering husband goes back into the office, gets his hard haggled money back and joins me in the vehicle. I was a bit embarrassed at this point and say, “I’m sorry, they were just listening to the doctor weren’t they.” He smiles and says, “No, he’s been out to lunch for the last couple of hours.” So maybe my fit wasn’t justified, but come on!

I know what my doc in the states would prescribe so we head down to our pharmacy and I write a list of all we will need. Sure enough I could get everything I needed and our pharmacist is one of the nicest guys on the planet. We head home with the meds that will cure all that ails me and a smile on this nutty woman’s face.

We walk in the door and I ask Michael if he would mind giving me the injection that will jump start the end to these hives. We have both had  to learn a few things since coming here about medicine, and injections is one of those things, so I knew he could do it. But…a strange thing happened when I asked Mike about the shot. He got this crazy smile on his face and a gleam of anticipation that I haven’t seen…well we’ve been married a long time. Then it occurs to me what a royal pain in the butt I have been all day and I understand something, first my husband is really looking forward to stabbing me with a needle and second, he is my only option. Oh no. We go into the kitchen and I prepare the syringe and I keep hearing him tell the girls how he is going to stand back and shoot the thing just like a dart then he can do a quick spin kick to push in the depressor. I’m not a fan of shots, especially not the one that may be administerd in a questionable fashion, plus, have you spent time with my husband? Do you trust him with a needle and your behind?

I make my way to the bedroom and lie across our bed, my safe place, my refuge, but now it is just an ugly place of torture. Sweat is litteraly running down my back and I may have swallowed my tongue. My husband walks in the room and I bare the royal behind so the mark can be made. He makes contact with the spot about to take the hit and I turn to look at his face and he is smiling!! Like Jack Nicholson in that movie with the kid. You know, “red rum red rum.” And then an even stranger thing happens I roll over and grab his hand and start screaming. I am literally fighting my husband. What is happening?? I keep saying, no this is a bad idea. Stop! He continues to laugh and I continue to insist we stop the madness. Then he pulls the ultimate below the belt (no pun intended). He turns and yells, “Hey kids, come hold mom’s arms so I can give mom a shot.” What? The man has called in the calvary! Of course Anna is the first to enter the room with a smile that looks vaguely like the one her father is wearing. This is getting very real very fast. The rest of the crew follows. A decision has to be made at this point. I will have to take all of my children to the doctor again sometime in the future and I will probably find myself in a similar situation to the one I am in now. When this happens, what do I want their response to be? I turn around like a good girl at this point. Of course, not without a quick, “You better not be smiling, Ropiecki.” I turn my head to the side and look at my children lined up in a row at the foot of my bed seeing this all unfold.

My husband proceeds to inject me with what feels like hot boiling lava all while surpressing a giggle and my kids all laugh and point and say, “I see mom’s butt.” I revised my parenting plan this morning. I then doped myself properly and slept for the next two hours both because I was very itchy and because I couldn’t face the shame…

Lessons learned, um, no. Butt hurts, um, yes. But I do think I made my husband’s day.

 

Running for our lives, cake and rockstars!

What have we been up to? Whew, here we go…

Michael has been working so diligently on the adoption of our 2 babies girls. He has been hounding the Social Welfare Office, arranging travel for relatives and running interference with the lawyer. So, we are happy to report that some progress has been made!! Yay! It is a slowly but surely thing but he has been relentless and it is starting to pay off. We are on our way!

He has also been working on the community outreach portion of our TRS ministry. We have been spending time out in the community and seeing what and how TRS can be a part both with teams and an ongoing basis. We’ve been talking with team members, staff and locals finding the best fits. Ok, this has been fun! We are loving getting ideas together, dreaming big and figuring out logistics. Can’t wait to start these projects!

He has become a runner once again. He fell back into it sort of seamlessly. I sort of hate him for it. I wish I liked exercise, but it hurts, so I will leave it to him.

Rachel has a control problem. Now it is out there. You probably didn’t notice it before, but confession is good for the soul. We have been talking with different NGO’s working in SL to see if there are existing ministries that may need help or that we can collaborate with in certain projects. I had a neighbor talk about her foundation which focuses on breast cancer awareness here in SL. Breast cancer has affected my family personally but more than that my heart aches when I look at the health care system here and what women must endure. This organization is really working to make a difference here and they have a staff that loves Jesus! I wanted to help them get ready for their first half-marathon ever here in Freetown. So, I volunteered to make little pink ribbons for them to sell as a little fundraiser… On day 3 of my work, I became the coordinator of the run. There is that control issue.

The run was a success! We had around 600 participants, raised money to help support the clinic Thinking Pink runs and more importantly were able to spread the message of awareness in some high official’s forums. It was pretty great. As of yesterday, I am retired from duty and tired!

Another bonus was a great number of people we were able to network with that we would have never met otherwise. Sierra Leone is a country of who you know and now we know a few more people! We also made some friends that we are happy to add to our lives.

With all of this I have gained a major appreciation for working moms. It is crazy! Trying to do all I need to at home and get anything else completed, wow, it’s hard. At one point I told Michael to push Maggie down if she tried to take her first step without me, I hated missing out on what was happening here! Don’t worry, no babies were injured.

Aubrey has read somewhere around a million books. She is working really hard at her schooling this year and working on making a few friends here in our neighborhood. She is only a month away from 13 and she reminds us daily. I wanted to be a mother to daughters, just not the teenage kind. How did that happen?

Anna is a rockstar.  We were sitting on a bench the other day and two girls her age walked up and sat on a bench across from us. She stands up and says, “I’m going to go make those girls my friend. I’ll be right back.” Aubrey and I sat with mouths gaping and watched as she walked over, started talking and hanging out with these two kids. She walked by a minute later and said they were heading to the swings to talk, be back. Rockstar.

Ella still loves all things Africa. She has decided her chosen profession…drumroll, please…She is going to be a street vendor who sells things from the top of her head. At any given time you will see her walk through the compound with something on her head yelling “groundnuts two thousand” or “sweet cake five hundred.” I’m hoping to redirect her dreams at some point.

Hawa has learned too much English. It is a nonstop talkathon. There is often some interpretation needed, but she gets her point across. She wants nothing more than to plant her baby’s hair, po-po it around the house and cook papella (we have no idea what papella is, it is not a local dish because the locals think she may be speaking Spanish, so it is open to interpretation). She is pretty stinkin’ cute. I like her a lot.

Maggie did conquer walking. Our house will never be the same. She is into everything and she has quite the temper. She isn’t a crier but she does like to yell, hit and throw things when her demands are not met. It’s bad, but it is a little cute too. Look, it’s #5, I know I wouldn’t let it slide with #1 or #2, but now I am worn down a bit. We correct but then we turn away and giggle like crazy. She is also talking quite a bit. She waits until the girls go down for bed then goes through her roll call of Aubrey, Anna, Ella, Hawa. I just think this kid is adorable.

What is on the agenda? Finish this adoption!! We want to legally have our kids. We are still working on TRS items, including their internship program and some discipleship programs. We really want to incorporate the kids at the center in some serving programs as well, because we believe fully that if you want a kid to grow up to serve you have to teach them to early. Exciting, right?

That is the short! Aren’t you glad I didn’t go for long? Next blog will be a post from my kiddos! I’m excited they are a little less than enthused. They will get over it!

Funny story: I went into the supermarket a few weeks ago. We have a little grocery we like to go to because we love the employees. They are incredible, kind and loving to our kids and we just enjoy the experience. I walked by our favorite employee while I was heading to an aisle to join my family. He was eating a very delicious piece of cake. I said, “Wow, that looks great!” He promptly replied, “Have a bite.” I declined and started to walk off. This is a sharing society. You can only say no so many times. So, it got to the point I had to accept his offer. There was only his fork. Yes, this kind man did feed me his cake from his fork in the middle of the supermarket…and yes, it was delicious. What’s the moral? Tell people who have cake it looks delicious and you may get to eat cake!

The "Even ifs"

I always sound better in print then I actually am. I’m sure that reflects the rose colored glasses I see myself through. However, occasionally God gives me a glimpse at who I am. More accurately, who he is and how I view him.

In all honesty, I have not loved living life here over the past few weeks. Maybe it’s really been more about me not loving life. (I’m not ending it all or anything, put down the phone) I was let down by some people I loved. What I thought God wanted from us, was not his full plan, I have had some very sick kids, I just feel a little lost and some of the “cultural differences” that I ordinarily would not worry about have started to make my eye twitch. Did I mention we haven’t had power in 7 days?? A chicken, followed by a pack of crazy wild dogs ran through my house while I was trying to clean my toilet! I have had a royal pity party all week long. I have moped and been the biggest whiner all week. I hate whiners!! It just leaked out of me. Of course, I decided to do a study of Job in the midst of all this. You are about to turn off your computer, aren’t you? Clearly, I am not the brightest bulb in the box.

I started this study with my kids. I will say it did lead to some funny moments with Anna saying, “You gotta be kidding me!” and Ella yelling, “Why does the dummy keep opening the door for these servants? They will only bring bad news!” But it really boiled down to I was having what I viewed as a bad week and I wanted to wallow with Job. I wanted to see that someone at one time had it worse than me. I wanted to prove to myself that it probably wasn’t as bad as it seemed cause, well, look at Job. I wanted to find the exact point where God would tell me to stop my belly aching and put on my big girl panties and move on. On a side note, I often think I will work as the voice of God. I sometimes believe I need to be convicted of things and here is how and where he will do his convicting… sort of a controlled life changing experience. It’s quite impressive really. I am so disillusioned as to be my own Holy Spirit from time to time. Call me if you too would like to live in my virtual reality.

This week God chose to love me. There wasn’t a correction. There wasn’t a person sent to me to make me say, wow, I’ve got it good. He just loved me. He also asked me a question. Ok, so he didn’t literally ask me, but it is a question that keeps playing in my head and I’m pretty sure it’s his.

I got a counter in our kitchen this week. We have had a small stove and small sink but nowhere for me to prepare food and nowhere to store anything, so I have had boxes stacked on top of each other. To get this counter was really a wonderful thing to me. Small, I know, but it was big in this house. I found Ella a pair of sandals that I have desperately been looking for. No one had malaria this week! I made a really wonderful new friend and spent some much needed bonding time with existing friends. Aubrey was able to go to a friend’s house for the weekend. I went to a wonderful dance party and danced until my feet hurt. I got a stain out of a shirt that I thought was ruined. (Obviously these aren’t always great victories, but I am counting them all.) Every time one of these events occurred I had to stand back and say, ok, the good is there with the bad.

All of the negative has been multiplied because I have been afraid. In writing and in phone calls home, I seem fearless and confident. I just say God is going to take care of us. Meaning, God is going to work out all the financial worries I have. He will make sure we have the fundraising we require to stay in Sierra Leone with our children, doing the work he has asked us to do. He will provide an easy path for the adoption and God will spell out our exact ministry in the sky. The fact is that isn’t necessarily his style. It is that underlying fear that has made my “No good, terrible, awful day” even worse.

God has provided so much. I can’t even begin to tell you how overwhelmed we are with the donations we have received. We love the people of Sierra Leone, we want to love them and show them to Jesus. To have other people come together with us and love the people of Sierra Leone with us, to aide us in getting out the message to them, it fills my heart. We cannot say thank you enough to those joining with us. In spite of the outpouring, the doubts fill me. What if we can’t raise the funds from here? What if we must return to the states to raise the remainder? How will I explain this to Hawa? To Maggie? How will we put aside a ministry we care so much about? How will I handle the pain of separating myself from my children? God, what could you possibly teach me through this?

Here’s where Job came in. He lost it all, and yet he praised God. Don’t get me wrong, the dude complained too. He lamented to God. He wanted to die. But he praised his maker in the same chapter. The verse that hit me this morning, is Job saying, God, even if you kill me, still I will praise you.

We attend church at The Raining Season church. This morning was such a wonderful service. If you have attended a church service with the kids you know how wonderful they are. But I have to say when you become one of them and you come to a service, it is even better. We are not quite the novelty we once were and so the kids and aunties and uncles worship completely unencumbered. It is so beautiful. Even more so, because it is no longer a novelty to me either and I find myself worshipping with as much abandon as they have. We sang a song that says God, we declare that we love you. We declare an everlasting love for you. I stopped singing and watched the orphaned children around me. I watched the aunties and uncles singing to heaven with me. I watched children who have come from the brink of death. I held Sara’s hand as she laughed and clapped. I watched Moses bounce up and down. I saw 3 of the older girls singing with arms wide and tears in their eyes. They were praising their maker just as Job.

I asked myself, what my kids would say if I asked why we should praise God. I think they would say because he gave us such incredible, amazing, funny, smart and doggone attractive parents. (I may have added to their actual statements)  They would thank God for a roof over their heads. They would thank God for food to eat. They would thank him for their toys and things they have.

Back to the room I was in. Some of these children were found in gutters. Abandoned. There are no parents, still they praise God. They have experienced no roof over their heads, yet they praise him. These kids know hunger. But they were whole heartedly declaring their love. Their “even if” happened and they are praising him.

Which brought me to my “even if”. I don’t know God’s will. I don’t know that all the financial issues will work themselves out. I don’t know if I will have to leave my children. I pray that I don’t but even if…

God is a big God. I lamented the things that brought me down this week and he’s ok with that. I praised him in the ways he lavished his love on me, he will take that too. But he wants me in the “even ifs” as well. Oh, my even ifs…

I wish I could wrap this up with a great happy ending that God told me it’s all good, baby girl, but I don’t know. I do know I am thinking about my “even if-s” and what that says about my faith. Not that I don’t have faith that he will work it all for my good, but even if what follows isn’t what I understand to be good, will I praise him?

 

 

We are sooooo boring!!!

We have a mouse. I, for the most part, have become accustomed to the critters we have everywhere. That last statement was a lie. I hate the critters. I have mostly stopped reacting though…I lied twice in one paragraph. Sorry.

Right now Levi Sisco is stalking what he believes to be the dwelling of said mouse because he is going to destroy it. I’m rooting for Levi.

We had a spider this week as well. Ironically, the spider was larger than the mouse! It was so big it moved a bag…a large bag. You could hear it hitting the floor when it jumped down from the wall. It made my husband scream like a tiny women. (I hope that picture keeps you warm at night)

We, however, haven’t seen a single cobra. None came in our luggage or followed our car. It’s very liberating!

We are all getting used to city life. Things like indoor toilets and occasional electricity are pretty good. Things like really loud neighbors and no grass are taking some getting used to. We have ventured out to see the neighborhood and visit the center. Poor Maggie spends the whole time waving at everyone who walks by because that’s what life in the village is like. My sweet little “bush baby”.

We have spent some time with just our family recently and it has been very refreshing. It has been a great way for us to renew and just get life here set up. We have also been getting to know our neighbors and spend some time at the center with some of our favorite people.

This is such a boring report! Isn’t that nice? Normal…but what is normal?

This time has also been a great time for reading, reflecting and studying. We are a family of readers. We are not ashamed of our nerdom.

I have, for some time, really dreamed about being BFF with Jen Hatmaker. Pretty sure if she met me, she would love me back. So much of what she says puts words to my heart and the journey we have taken over the last few years. I just finished “Interrupted”. It is wonderful. It speaks to the heart of the church. However, darn it; it also convicted the crap out of me. Ugh.

The writer Paul, in full disclosure, is not one of my more favorite authors. I know, that takes out a large portion of the New Testament for me, but I just feel annoyed sometimes by him. This generally means God is speaking to me, but I ain’t havin’ none of that. Then I decided to read 1 Corinthians after my homey Jenny (she loves it when I call her that) referenced it. Chapter 9 was my undoing.

I have a tendency to hide. I have 5 kids. Staying in my home and doing the homeschool mom thing is very easy for me to fall on. Now, don’t start cutting me slack and saying it’s my most important job, it’s so hard, blah blah blah. It may be true, but loving my family and doing what is good for them does not absolve me from ministry. I signed up to follow Christ and he was no couch potato. He WENT OUT and ministered to people. He was all things to all people. (He still is, by the way)

1 Corinthians 9:19-23  I am not anyone’s slave. But I have become a slave to everyone, so I can win as many people as possible. When I am with the Jews, I live like a Jew to win Jews. They are ruled by the Law of Moses, and I am not. But I live by the Law to win them. And when I am with people who are not ruled by the Law, I forget about the Law to win them. Of course, I never really forget about the Law of God. In fact, I am ruled by the Law of Christ. When I am with people whose faith is weak, I live as they do to win them. I do everything I can to win everyone I possibly can I do all this for the good news, because I want to share in its blessings.

Oh, I struggle. I am rebellious by nature. I hear my mom and dad clapping across the ocean. It isn’t being someone’s slave that bothers me. It isn’t serving others that gets to me, it is conformity that gets me. To bend what I know and like to fit someone else in hopes to lead them to Christ. How selfish!! And let’s not stop there, it isn’t just winning people to Jesus, but also discipling them to a greater knowledge. So, and this is my downfall, the immature Christians who have looked to other sources for an understanding of God need me to put aside my ability to understand and explain pretty much everything that has ever been and ever will be in order to show them how to live like Christ. Woe is me.

We are here to minister to people in a way that meets their needs. This includes Christians or people who call themselves Christians that just don’t get it, in a way that they get it. This means worship like they do, eat what they eat, meet them where they are rituals and all. ("We" means you too. If I have to be under conviction you have to be there with me, sucka)

This week’s goal; minister outside of our walls, in a way people in this new community need. Less of me, more of thee.

A parting story you may enjoy. I brag on how wonderful my kids are to anyone who will listen. They are awesome. But as you will see, very human. (Some of my kids more human than others)

Aubrey has been doing extra chores for some allowance. We think it is important and they really work hard. She told me the other night the reason she is saving up money is because she wants to buy Anna a birthday present. It warmed my heart. I was relaying this story to Michael and ended it with “Our children are so kind and loving to each other.” It was at this moment we hear yelling from the other room. Anna: ”Hawa if you speak again, I will beat you!” Michael and I look and each other and he says, “Definitely love.” 

The Really Big News!

Sorry for the radio silence. It has been a bit crazy lately. Hang with me for the next few paragraphs, I am struggling with words and feel a bit rushed because my computer battery will only last for so long!

Our family began praying about moving to Sierra Leone almost 2 years ago. We wanted to serve the poorest of the poor and bring the love of Jesus to a country that has little understanding of him. This is what drives us. It lights our fire, it is something we can’t stop talking about. Coming to visit, we were able to see faith at work through the staff and children at The Raining Season. It is an orphanage that understands loving God and loving people. Orphan care is another topic near and dear to our heart. TRS captured our heart. We jumped at the chance to help TRS in any way possible. Just Hope International, although not in the business of orphan care, wanted to help TRS move to a community that would allow them to have more space for the children and an opportunity to help more kids who are discarded, forgotten or in need of someone to stand up for them. We saw an opportunity to help TRS by joining with JHI. Although we loved our time in Bauya, it was evident that we could not share our attention with the building project and our passions that I mentioned earlier. We never intended to only build a structure, we want to grow the kingdom. Our time with JHI confirmed that desire and revealed more of what our true work here should be.

So, what does this mean? A few things, actually. Our church, The Bridge Fellowship, will now become our sending organization. This opens us up to more of the ministry we love and to meet what we feel truly called to do. We will also be partnering with The Raining Season to do community outreach programs, here in Freetown, the country’s capitol. This will also include discipleship training both in the community and in the center itself as well as helping with various other tasks at TRS. We are so excited about this new page in our lives and feel blessed to have this opportunity.

Our family is making the transition to Freetown and life out of the bush! It has had its’ advantages (ice cream seems to be the most important one to my children…and Michael). However, we were very sad to leave a community that we loved being a part of and people we considered family. It is a bittersweet change. We are securing housing, starting to get in the rhythm of living in a city, meeting our neighbors and trying to find our silverware! Also, we are getting used to indoor plumbing and a stove that doesn’t require charcoal. The times they are a changin!

Please go visit The Raining Season’s website. It is an amazing organization and their aren’t enough good words for me to say about them. You will love it.

There is a down side, of course. We initially wanted to come to Sierra Leone as volunteer missionaries. This involved raising our own funds and support. Our move here was expedited because JHI wanted to offset our living costs so that we could move earlier. Now that we are no longer a part of JHI, it is up to us to raise the support we need to live here while working. Normally, this would be something we would do while living in the US. However, we have 2 Sierra Leonean daughters that cannot bring back to the US yet. I think anyone can understand that leaving our children behind is not an option for our family. They are so much a part of our lives and hearts that to leave them would feel like ripping off an arm and leaving it behind. So, we are going to attempt to do this across an ocean. We need financial support. We need both monthly donations and one time gifts. We need a miracle.

Frankly, we should be more nervous about this portion than we are, but we know that God has laid the foundation for the task before us and so far he hasn’t given us a job and not provided the way. It is expensive to live here. The numbers seem huge and we cringe a little every time we review them but we are certain God is capable and he will get the glory.

We are just going to be as specific as we can. However, please keep in mind that TIA(This is Africa) and it is likely to change any second! We anticipate our monthly living costs to be around $3,500.00 per month. We anticipate onetime costs to be approximately $36,000. This will include our rent and transportation. It will also include furnishings and household costs as we did not purchase those personally when we came but only for JHI. This will also include airfare for a return trip home at the 2 year mark for our family.

We did not anticipate this change when coming here. We are still trying to wrap our heads around all the changes taking place right now. We have planned a budget through next March at which time we will be making a trip home to spend some much needed time with friends and family. We will have lived away for 2 years at that point and will need to regroup as well as fundraise. This also gives us time to settle into a new job, city and life.

We have been blessed to have so many people give so faithfully to our work here and support us financially as well as through prayer and words. We came to serve, but we have seen so many people serve us time and time again. We have been humbled and in awe of the sacrifices so many are willing to make in order to send us to spread the word of God’s love. It has been such an awesome example of the hands and feet and body of believers. Thank you for being a part of this adventure with us.

Wow, now that all the big news is out of the way, here are the details. We are now having all funds go through our church, The Bridge Fellowship. All funds designated for us will be sent straight to us. They have a user friendly website where monthly automatic withdrawals can be set up as well as one time donations or checks can be sent directly to the church. (See below for details) All donations are tax deductible and if you have any questions or concerns about financial donations, ministry happenings or just curious about what the heck we are doing, please send me an email. We believe in transparency and we are happy to talk through anything that might come up. Also, if you don’t have a home church, you have to check them out. They are truly amazing! They are not perfect, but they so love Jesus.

It is also my intention to make weekly posts. I don’t always see our life as extremely exciting so please, send me questions you have or curiosities. I don’t always notice the craziness of my life anymore but I’m sure other people do, so give me some suggestions!

Ways to give:

http://thebridgefellowship.net/online-giving 

This web address will show you a few options on how to give. There is also an option to mark it
for the Ropieckis. This is easy and completely secure.

THE BRIDGE FELLOWSHIP
5066 LEBANON ROAD
LEBANON, TENNESSEE 37087

You can also send a check to the above address and just put “Ropiecki Africa Mission” on the for line.

A third option is to just drop it in the offering plate on any Sunday morning at The Bridge. Again, just mark it for Ropieckis.

615-547-2739-Call The Bridge office if you have any questions about giving or about the church.

Ropieckir@gmail.com- feel free to drop me a line. It’s nice to hear from home! I will be happy to answer any questions I can and find out who knows the answer if I can’t!